Educational Decree 24
by baby gyrl
Summary: Hogwarts students retaliate against Umbridge's latest decree. Slightly A/U OotP, non-evil Slytherins
1. And So It Begins

The following was inspired by Educational Decree 24

BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS

All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded.

An organization, society, team, group or club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).

No student organization, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organization, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four

Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor"

Hermione looked at the newest Educational Decree to grace the Gryffindor common room bulletin board. She turned to her friends, Harry and Ron, who were watching her reaction. They were surprised by the slightly insane grin on her face.

"Hermione?" Ron asked. "We're heading down to lunch. Are you coming?"

Hermione laughed. "No, Ronald, I don't think I want to get expelled just yet."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked her. "How are we going to get expelled by going down to lunch?"

She sighed. 'I forgot that common sense isn't all that common in the Wizarding World.' She thought to herself. "Look at that Decree again. An organization et cetera is defined as a regular meeting of three or more students. Lunch, and in fact, any and all meals, are regular meetings of more than three students, yes? Therefore, we could all get expelled by going down to the Great Hall at the proscribed meal times."

Harry thought about that for half a second before comprehension dawned. "You mean we should take our meals in the kitchens until 'approval by the High Inquisitor' is obtained?" He stood on one of the tables and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Attention, please!! I would like to call a House meeting! Anyone who wishes to hear what I have to say needs to get your ass down here now!!!"

"You know, you could have just used _Sonorus_, mate," Ron said out of the side of his mouth.

"Thanks for reminding me. _Sonorus_. Umbitch has made another of those idiotic Educational Decrees. This one bans all… What was it Hermione?"

Hermione sighed in frustration. She joined Harry on the table and performed her own _Sonorus_ charm on her voice. "The new decree states, and I quote, 'All student organisations, societies, teams, groups and clubs are henceforth disbanded. An organization, society, team, group or club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students. Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge). No student organization, society, team, group or club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor. Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an organization, society, team, group or club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.' Now, as I pointed out to Harry and Ron, since meals are regular meetings of the entire student body, which the Pink Toad obviously didn't consider, if we go down to lunch, or any other meal, we run the risk of getting expelled. Harry, take it away." She jumped off the table and took the charm off her voice.

"Thank you, Hermione, for summing up the situation concisely. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the future lawyer, Hermione Granger!"

*… chirp…chirp…*

"Ok, then, moving on. Now, everybody hates Umbitch, yes? So, I propose that we go along with her Decree… to the extent of not taking meals with the rest of the castle. We are obeying the letter of the law to such an extent that she won't be able to handle it." Harry was nearly hyperventilating at the end of his speech, flushed by the prospect of inflicting more chaos onto Umbridge's reign of terror.

*…chirp…*

"So, Potter, are you saying that we starve ourselves to boycott Umbridge's decrees? Isn't that a little drastic?" Lee Jordan asked warily.

"No Lee, I'm simply saying that we should not take our meals with everyone else, as that would be a clear violation of the rules… and we wouldn't want that now would we? How many know where the kitchens are? Show of hands now… All right, that's a good dozen people. Do you mind asking the house elves to bring meals to the common room? Thanks. So we won't starve. Any other questions? No? Any objections? No? Anyone gonna stop me from staying up here and keep talking about anything and everything that comes to mind? No? All right then. Let's see, next issue to tackle… my lying…"

OOMPH!!!

Harry looked up from the floor. "Ron, if you wanted me to quit while I was ahead, all you had to do was say so." He took the charm off his voice and headed out of the common room while the majority of the Gryffindors were still stunned.

"So does that mean all classes are illegal? There are definitely more than three students in a class…"

_Fin_

A/N: This was something that I thought up at 3 AM, so it may be good, it may be bad, it may be so bad its good, I don't know. Just thought I'd share with all y'all. Yes, Hermione and Harry are both OOC, but that was what my muse wanted.


	2. InterHouse Relations?

AN: This was supposed to be a one-shot, but since all the reviewers agree that I should continue, here's chapter 2

* * *

Chapter Two: Inter-House relations?

"Harry, where are we going?" Ron asked his friend as he and Hermione followed Harry out of the common room.

"I'm going to the Owlry, to write a letter to my solicitor. Hermione, you should tell your spy network about this and spread it to the other Houses. Ron, you might want to write your parents to explain why you will be skipping classes until further notice." He turned around and looked at his two friends. "Hermione, you're brilliant. I could kiss you!"

"Spy network?" Hermione asked at the same time Ron murmured "Solicitor?"

"Yeah, you know, your inter-House study group that doubles as a rumor mill. I know that's how you know all the latest rumors despite spending all your time either in class, the common room, or the library. And yes, Ron, solicitor. After the Dementor debacle, I had Remus hook me up with a solicitor so I could have someone in my corner if I need it."

The trio dispersed, the boys to the Owlry, and Hermione to the library.

"Spy network? I guess that's an apt description." She kept mumbling to herself as she walked into the library and headed to her usual table.

She took a battered notebook out of her bookbag and wrote a message on it.

_Emergency meeting in the library. NOW!!! - HG_

Justin Finch-Fletchey from Hufflepuff immediately ambushed her. "Hermione, did you see the new decree? What's going to happen to the study group?"

"Breathe, Justin, breathe. We'll still make do, somehow, right, Gryff?" Tracy Davis, a fifth-year Slytherin joined the duo.

"We will figure it out. Tracy and I are good with most of the general stuff and everyone's competent in at least one area. If we compile a list of everyone and their strengths, we should be able to work out a one-on-one schedule for everybody. Besides, we have the notebooks that we can use to get in touch if someone needs something on short notice. Trace, how's popular opinion of Umbridge in your House?"

Tracy shook her head. "Nobody'll admit it, but they hate her. She's a suck-up and everybody knows it, but she's got power and influence, so they're keeping personal opinions out of it. Why?"

"We're trying to instigate a school-wide sit-in, but I'm gonna need your help with your Housemates."

She proceeded to outline her and Harry's plan of boycotting all meals, classes, and Quidditch games in order to follow Educational Decree 24 to the letter.

Tracy listened intently, and hardly noticed the other members of the study group joining them.

When Hermione was done, half of the students gathered around the table were laughing so hard they couldn't speak, and she got a nearly unanimous "We're in" from the others.

Tracy, on the other hand, took a moment to gather her thoughts before she began to speak. "Malfoy and his lot won't do it. If I even mention it, they'll go to Umbridge and get her to reinstate classes. I'll spread the word to people I think will follow it, but there's no way I'm putting Potter's seal on it. I'll also talk to Snape, but only if you tell your Heads about the plan. There is no way in Hell that I'm getting detention or losing points for this."

Hermione laughed. "Of course, we'll talk to the Heads. McGonagall will go along with it, at least until the Decree is amended. Now, I'm going with Harry and Ron to tell McGonagall. Justin, can you talk to Sprout? And Padma, Terry, you can handle talking to your Head of House, right? Trace, I'll write you when we get okayed with everyone else."

_TBC_

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Next time: Talks with the Heads and maybe even talks among the Heads

AN: I've got a side-story about Hermione's little study group/spy network maybe in the works. Keep an eye out for that one. The next chapter won't come out this fast, I'm sorry to say. I could get these two chapters out this fast because it was a weekend without much homework.


	3. Interlude: Ron's Letter

AN: This is a copy of the letter Ron wrote to his parents about the decree. I know, it's super short, but I figured you guys would want to know what exactly Ron and Harry told the Weasleys.

Dear Mom and Dad,

The Ministry has passed another Educational Decree. This one bans all student groups of three or more people. Angelina, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, has to go to ask the High Inquisitor, who is our Defense teacher, permission to reform the team. Hermione realized that the Decree bans classes and meals as well, because they are more than three students, so we (all of Gryffindor and possibly most of the school) are boycotting scheduled classes and meals. I'm writing you because I don't want you to worry when the school tells you we're skipping all our classes.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,_

_Hi, it's Harry. We're going to talk to McGonagall and the other Heads to explain, and they'll figure something out so we aren't getting completely behind schedule. We'll do this until the Ministry gets their heads out of their asses and realizes what idiots they're being. (No offense to you, Mr. Weasley.) Don't worry, this parchment is charmed to only show its true message to one of you two._

Love Ron _and Harry_

AN: Next time, I promise will be the Head talks. Check out my new story Study Group, featuring Hermione and Tracy. And is anyone interested in betaing this story for me? Send me a message or say so in a review.


	4. Gryffindor Meeting

Hermione and her group went off to their own devices, and she met up with Ron and Harry later that day.

"Did you get your letters done? I talked to some people in the other Houses and Justin's going to talk to Professor Sprout, Terry and Padma are talking to Flitwick, and I really don't envy Tracy having to talk to Snape."

"Wow, Hermione, can you breathe a second? Yeah, we sent the letters, so now we need to talk to McGonagall, right?" Ron said. He wasn't too sure about their idea, but he was going to go along with it because of his friends. Besides, Hermione and Harry said it was fine, and they can't both be wrong… right?

Wrong. Ron amended his answer when they got to Professor McGonagall's office.

McGonagall looked at the paper outlining the students' plan. Miss Granger had proposed letting all of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw House as well as some Slytherins not attend classes until that ridiculous Decree was repealed. While she was not opposed to the students' initiative, she could just see this backfiring as students decided to simply not do the homework as well as not attend class.

"You expect me to just let you skip classes for an indefinite period of time? Miss Granger, are you insane?" McGonagall all but hissed at her problem students. She loved these three students to death, but they were the bane of her existence. She couldn't remember a group of students got into as much trouble as those three… without meaning to.

Hermione paled. She hadn't thought she would have to convince McGonagall; she thought that she hated Umbridge as much as the rest of them. "We wouldn't completely be skipping classes, Professor. You can give us the homework and lecture notes and we can do sort of an independent study."

Ron gaped at her. "You mean we would still have to have homework? I thought we would just get a break from classes."

Hermione turned to her friend. "Ron, we have our OWLs this year. We can't slack off now more than ever. Did you really think we could just take off classes without extensive studying to make up for it?"

McGonagall interjected, "Miss Granger, that is exactly what most of your classmates will think. They will welcome this as a reprieve from classes and work, and when they start attending class again, they will be far behind their peers who either attended class or took the initiative in their learning. I do like your independent study idea, though."

"Professor, if we agree to keep up with the regular class curriculum, will you agree to let us do this?" Harry asked. He knew it was going to be hard work keeping up with the class without actually attending class, but he was sure that Hermione would make sure he and Ron didn't fall behind.

McGonagall sighed. "Is there anything I can say to stop you, Mr. Potter? I daresay that you would continue with your fool plan even if I did not endorse it. I guess if you keep up with the regular class I cannot make you attend class. Are you planning on going to every teacher and asking for their homework every week?"

"We were actually hoping you could help with that. I've talked to some people from the other houses, and they're talking to their Heads of House, but I was hoping you could talk to the other professors," Hermione answered.

"I will give the prefects the week's work to distribute, and as long as you keep up with the class, and I mean every assignment Mr. Weasley, I will be content to mark you as doing an independent study. If you start falling behind, you can come talk to me for individual help, or you can start attending class again. How does that sound?" McGonagall was pleased with this arrangement. It would be harder to keep up with the class work without coming to classes, but the fact they were willing to try said wonders about both their work ethic and how they feel about Umbridge.

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AN: Thanks for reading, and thanks for the reviews. Sorry for making you all wait so long for this chapter. Keep reading, guys. And many thanks to annajesse65230, my new beta.

If you have any suggestions with what you want to see in later chapters, feel free to drop me a line in a review or message. I have an idea of where this fic is headed, but I'm sure we can make a few pit stops on the way if I get inspiration.


	5. Ravenclaw Meeting

A/N: Sorry for the wait for this chapter. For some reason, I couldn't get into my Ravenclaws' heads. Hope this chapter meets expectations.

After leaving the library, Terry and Padma met with another member of the study group, Tony Goldstein, to tell him about the Gryffindors' plan, and to write out what they wanted to tell Flitwick. Gryffindors may rush headlong into things, but Ravenclaws prided themselves on being the ones to think everything through before making a foolish decision. When they had everything outlined like they were preparing for an essay, they made their way to the diminutive Charms Professor's office. After entering Flitwick's office, Terry presented him the following document:

* * *

**Proposal**: To skip classes, meals and all organized student activities in accordance with Educational Decree 24.

**Reasoning**: Any and all regular organized student events are banned by Educational Decree 24. This includes meals, classes, and any other organized student activities.

**Proposed Solution:**

**Classes**: Ravenclaw students are intelligent, diligent, hardworking students. Given the coursework and office hours that we could meet with Professors for the practical portions of classes, we foresee no problems with maintaining grades in Ravenclaw, though we cannot speak for the other houses.

**Meals**: The House Elves would be able to bring meals to the common room.

**Quidditch Games: **The Quidditch House Tournament is a big factor of Hogwarts' social structure, but we are willing to give that up.

**Other clubs, organizations, et cetera**: Once again, if it means getting a competent Defense professor for once, then we are willing to give those up for now as well.

While this document only represents a small selection of the House (Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, and Padma Patil), we feel that the majority of the house will agree with the proposed solutions. We realize that Professor Umbridge does not expect us to take the Decree so literally, so we are seeking your permission to go ahead with this solution individually, and present it to the House at large.

* * *

Flitwick looked up from the parchment that his fifth year students handed him. "This is a very well thought out solution, children. I approve of the thought that you've put into this. If you put as much effort into maintaining your grades, I will approve as your Head of House. If any other Ravenclaws want to join in this plan of yours, I expect them to sign a contract saying that the lack of class attendance will not affect their schoolwork. Other than that, I feel that you have this under control. I will talk to the other teachers, and arrange meetings for the practical classes, but I feel there will be no problems if I show them that you have thought this out this well."

Terry bowed his head. "Thank you, Professor. We would appreciate it if you didn't talk to Professor Umbridge. There is no practical portion of her class, as she's only having us read the book."

"Don't worry my boy." commented Flitwick, "I wish to avoid her as much as possible."


	6. Hufflepuff Meeting

A/N: I know that Rowling has said that there're about a thousand students at Hogwarts, but I'm going off the assumption that there are 8-10 students in each house per year. This model is based upon the fact that there are 5 Gryffindor boys in Harry's year, and as far as we know, 5 Slytherin boys in that year as well. Even though we've only heard about 3 Gryffindor girls in Harry's year (Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati), this works out to be 8 Gryffindors for that year. I don't see the Houses being very uneven, so that works out to be between 30-40 students per year, which only comes out to be about 250 students in Hogwarts total. This works out to be about 55 to 60 students per House.

While the Gryffindors rushed off half-cocked to talk to their head, the Ravenclaws planned out in detail their plan to talk to their head, and the Slytherin waited to talk to her head, Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff of the group, took a different approach altogether. Justin went to the Hufflepuff Common Room to talk to his housemates.

Unlike in Gryffindor House, where a student calling a House meeting was unheard of, Hufflepuff House encourages House solidarity and students can call House meetings to discuss things with their Housemates, which is what Justin did when he got back to his common room.

"Excuse me; can I have your attention please? I'm calling a Meeting of the Sett."

He waited a few minutes until most of his housemates had gather around him.

"What's this about, Justin? We've past the beginning of the term, we're not nearing end of term, and Quidditch tryouts are already done." Zach Smith asked, lounging on one of the sofas.

"Hold on, Zach. I want everyone to hear this. Who's not here? Can someone go find whoever's not here and bring them? We'll wait."

Susan Bones asked, "Do you want me to get Professor Sprout as well? If you're calling a Meeting, she should be here too."

"Yeah, Sue, that'd be great if she could hear this too," Justin replied.

Those gathered were questioning Justin while he was waiting for the rest of the house to appear, but he refused to answer any questions until everybody showed up.

Professor Sprout walked into the common room, dusting off her hands on her robes. "All right, Justin, everyone is here. What is this about?"

Justin stood in the middle of the room, and looked around the room at his house. The upperclassmen were lounging on the couches and chairs, and the younger years were sitting on the floor. Professor Sprout was standing behind one of the couches, waiting to see what her student had gathered them all for.

"Thank you, everyone for gathering here so quickly. I want to talk to you all about the new Educational Decree that says that organized groups of students are against the rules." He turned to look at his Head. "Someone pointed out that classes, as groups of more than three students, are against the rules. There is a plan to boycott lessons, and students from the other houses are talking to their Heads. I wanted to bring this up in front of the House before I talked to you." He turned back to the rest of his housemates. "We're Hufflepuffs. We're either in this together, or not at all. The proposal is that we skip classes and meals and all organized student events in a show of defiance of the _High Inquisitor's_ rules."

Zach shouted out, "Does that mean no classes?"

Justin laughed. He should have known that was the part they'd latch onto. "Yes and no. No classes, but we'd still be doing the work. For classes like Potions, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures, we'd have to work something out with the professors for the practical portion. For the rest, the older students can help tutor the lower years, and we can learn out of the books. Does anyone have any other questions?"

Silas, a seventh year asked, "So we'd be tutoring the littlies _and_ studying for the NEWTs? Don't you think that's a bit of a heavy load for the seventh years? And the fifth years with their OWLs, too."

Tamsin Applebee, a Chaser on the Quidditch team spoke up. "And we're gonna go spare cooped up in the common room all day. What are we supposed to do, just study all day long? We're not Ravenclaws."

"It's not like Justin's saying we have to stay inside all day. We just can't go to classes. You can still fly, and you can probably do mock games in the Pitch, as long as they're not regular," second year Owen Cauldwell replied.

"What was that Owen?" Sprout asked. She was enjoying seeing her badgers discuss things openly, and didn't want to interrupt their discussion, but she thought Owen had hit on something.

"The decree says, and I quote 'An organization, society, yadda yadda is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students.' This means that as long as they are irregular, teams and study groups and such are fine, ma'am," Owen told her. "Those Ministry folk need to proofread their documents for loopholes like that."

"Thank you, Owen," Sprout said. She thought the boy should have been a Ravenclaw with that reasoning. "Are there any other questions or comments for Justin's proposal?" She paused for comments to be thrown out. There were none. "Then shall we vote?" Heads nodded all around the room.

Silas took the lead at that. "All in favor of skipping classes and following Educational Decree 24 to the letter please raise your hands." He counted the hands raised, and though there was a clear majority, he then said "All those opposed?" and counted those hands. "The votes are as follows: 42 for, 15 against. Would those opposed like to say something in defense of their position?"

Zach raised his hand and spoke, "I think it will be too hard to help the littlies as well as maintaining our own studies. I'm not saying I want Umbridge here, even if I don't believe Potter about You-Know-Who coming back, the Ministry interfering with our education is never a good thing. They have their own agenda and if we let them start pushing their agenda into Hogwarts, then the unbiased education we should be getting is tainted. I took the OWLs last year, and it was hard enough to keep up without trying to do tutoring as well."

"Thank you," Silas said. "Anyone else wish to speak? Either in support or opposition? No? Then shall we have another vote?"

Susan spoke up then. "Hold on Silas. Justin, you said that the other Houses were talking about this as well? Okay, then, the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors would be more than willing to help us out. I can't see Slytherins agreeing to anything that would jeopardize their status, and Gryffindors, while their hearts are in the right place, have a tendency to fall through when things get monotonous, but we should be able to count on the Ravenclaws. I propose we work out a schedule with all the others that are going along with this, House loyalties aside, so that no one is overwhelmed. We can work this out depending on everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and the tutors can get help directly from the professors and we'll work out a trickle-down thing. Would that be fine with you, Zach?"

Zach thought about that. It wasn't that he was worried about himself, but the fifth and seventh years. The seventh years would still have a heavy load, but since Susan was proposing to play to their strengths, they would only have to deal with what they are good at. He nodded.

"Is it time for another vote?" Silas asked. "Those in favor? Those opposed?" He counted hands, and said, "The tally now stands at 53 for, 4 against. Are those who voted against willing to abide by the majority vote?" He waited until the four who had voted against had acknowledged that they would accept the majority vote. "Professor Sprout, is this decision alright with you?" He waited for confirmation from Sprout. Although they had a majority vote, the Head could overrule all of them. She nodded. "Then we are decided. What else needs to be done with this decision?" He turned to Justin, asking the younger boy whether he had anything else to address at this meeting.

"Well, I'll need to talk to the others who are in this, and we'll need a neutral meeting space. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm willing to hear them."

From there, the discussion dissolved into discussing potential meeting places that would be satisfactory for members of three houses and the entire Hufflepuff house. Sprout excused herself during the conversation with the intention of talking to her fellow Heads of the Houses. "I'm glad that they are doing something about that old stinky dragon dung heap of a woman." she thought to herself as she walked towards the Great Hall.


End file.
